Refillable Free Ink Writing Instrument Provided with a Removable Tip

This application is a National Stage application of International Application No. PCT/EP2020/078418 filed on 9 Oct. 2020 and which claims benefit from European patent application EP19306317.9 filed on 9 Apr. 2019, the entire contents of the '317.9 application being incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a refillable free ink writing instrument, a kit comprising said refillable free ink writing instrument and a method for refilling a refillable free ink writing instrument.

A “free ink writing instrument” or “writing instrument having a free ink reservoir” is a writing instrument wherein the ink is free to circulate in the reservoir. In other words, the ink circulates immediately on one side or on the other side of the reservoir, for example due to gravity. In particular, it is understood that the ink may circulate when handling or moving the writing instrument. “Free ink” can be entrained in a fibrous bundle or similar capillary reservoir and hence the term “free ink” cannot exclude nibs impregnated with the ink and the refill containing water.

BACKGROUND

Traditional writing instrument have a limited lifetime, for example because the ink has been used so that the reservoir is empty and/or because the writing tip is worn. Therefore a need exists to provide a writing instrument having an extended lifetime, and which is user-friendly.

SUMMARY

An embodiment relates to a refillable free ink writing instrument comprising a body having a rear end, a front end and an ink reservoir disposed between the rear end and the front end, a writing tip mounted on the front end, the writing tip having a portion in fluid communication with the ink reservoir, the writing tip being removable from the body for refill. The writing instrument further comprises a removable cap that is configured to allow feeding of a refill into the reservoir when the writing tip is removed.

A writing instrument may be a pen, a marker, a writing felt pen, a ball pen, a needle pen, a coloring felt pen, a permanent marker, a dry wipe marker, etc.

The writing tip may be made of felt (for example acrylic, nylon, polyester plus resin, etc.), foam, sintered material such plastic or the like, plastic plus metal tip for ball pen or needle tip pen, etc.

Depending on the ink type, the reservoir may be refilled with ink, water, ink powder and water, concentrated fluid ink and water, solid concentrated ink and water, etc.

When removing the tip (hereafter, and unless otherwise specified, “the tip”), the reservoir may be directly refilled via a conduit extending between the reservoir and the front end, the conduit receiving the portion of the tip in fluid communication with the reservoir. Thus, the free ink writing instrument (hereafter, and unless otherwise specified, “the writing instrument”) may be easily refilled, thereby extending its lifetime. In addition, since the tip is configured to be removed, in particular for refilling the reservoir, the tip may be easily replaced when refilling the reservoir. Thus, a worn tip may be easily replaced, thereby extending the lifetime of the writing instrument.

In some embodiments, the body may comprise a nose cone extending along an axial direction and configured to bear the tip, the nose cone comprising the front end of the body, the nose cone having a shoulder configured to cooperate with a complementary shoulder of the writing tip, both the shoulder and the complementary shoulder being perpendicular to the axial direction, the shoulder having at least one recess configured to receive an engaging element for cooperating with the complementary shoulder in order to remove the writing tip from the nose cone.

In some embodiments, the shoulder may comprise two diametrically opposed recesses configured to receive two opposed projections of an engaging element for removing the writing tip from the nose cone.

In some embodiments, the at least one recess may form an open groove.

The open groove may be configured to receive a portion of an engaging element, for example a lamella or the like, by sliding engagement.

In some embodiments, the removable cap may be provided with an engaging element portion for removing the tip.

The engaging element portion may comprise an insertion portion, for example a chamfer or the like, configured to assist the engagement of the engaging element with or in the recess.

In some embodiments, the removable cap may comprise a cap body and a clip portion, the engaging element portion being provided on the clip portion or formed between the clip portion and the cap body.

In some embodiments, the removable cap may comprise a funnel portion designed to feed the refill into the reservoir when the writing tip is removed.

More particularly, the engaging element may function as a plier or key (i.e. used to clamp and pull the tip), as a nut or socket wrench (i.e. used to socket and pull the tip) or simply may be a recess (as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 ) that snap-fits in a corresponding portion of the tip, to allow its removal.

In some embodiments, the removable cap may comprise a cap body and a clip portion, a top end of the cap body being in fluid communication with a distal end of the clip portion, the top end of the cap body forming an inlet of the funnel portion while the distal end of the clip portion forms an outlet of the funnel portion.

The top end of the cap body is the end of the body portion which is opposed to the end configured to receive the writing tip for its protection.

In some embodiments, the ink may be a water-based ink.

An embodiment relates to kit comprising the refillable free ink writing instrument according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure and at least one replacement writing tip.

In some embodiments, the at least one replacement writing tip may include concentered ink.

For example, the replacement writing tip may comprise a breakable capsule receiving concentered ink. The capsule may be broken when mounting the replacement tip. In another example, concentered ink may be dispersed within the material of the replacement writing ink. In still another example, the tip may include a chamber that contains concentrated ink and that can be opened with water thank to a water-soluble film.

An embodiment relates to a method for refilling a refillable free ink writing instrument comprising: providing the refillable free ink writing instrument according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure, removing the writing tip, refilling the reservoir with a refill, and mounting a replacement writing tip.

In some embodiment, the replacement writing tip may include concentered ink while the refill may comprise only water.

Such a refillable free ink writing instrument/kit comprising such a refillable free ink writing instrument/method for refilling such a refillable free ink writing instrument may present an extended lifetime and in a user-friendliness way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure and its advantages can be better understood by reading the detailed description of various embodiments given as non-limiting examples. The description refers to the accompanying sheets of figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a kit comprising a refillable free ink writing instrument,

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view along the axial direction of the cap of the free ink writing instrument,

FIG. 3 shows a first modified example of the cap of the free ink writing instrument,

FIG. 4 shows a second modified example of the cap of the free ink writing instrument,

FIG. 5 A to 5 D show the different steps of a method for refilling the refillable free ink writing instrument.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 show a kit 100 comprising a refillable free ink writing instrument 10 and a replacement writing tip 50 .

The writing instrument 10 , in this example a marker, is described in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 . The writing instrument 10 comprises a body 12 having a rear end 12 A, a front end 12 B and an ink reservoir 13 disposed between the rear end 12 A and the front end 12 B. A writing tip 14 is mounted on the front end 12 B. The writing tip 14 has a portion 14 A in fluid communication with the ink reservoir 13 . The tip 14 is mounted on the body 12 so as to be removable. For example, the portion 14 A is press fitted within the conduit 22 extending between the front end 12 B and the reservoir 13 . For example, only the writing tip 14 may be removable, i.e. only the portion which is configured to feed ink from the reservoir 13 toward the distal/writing end 14 C used for writing or the like. For example, the tip 14 may be formed of a single piece. The writing instrument 10 comprises a removable cap 16 configured to allow feeding of a refill 24 into the reservoir 13 , when the writing tip 14 is removed.

In this example, the body 12 may comprise a nose cone 12 C extending along an axial direction X. The axial direction X may be the same for the whole writing instrument 10 and all the different parts of the writing instrument 10 . The nose cone 12 C may comprise the front end 12 B and may be configured to bear the tip 14 so as to be removable.

The nose cone 12 C may have a shoulder 12 C 1 configured to cooperate with a complementary shoulder 14 B of the tip 14 . The shoulder 12 C 1 and the complementary shoulder 14 B may be perpendicular to the axial direction X. However, the shoulder 12 C 1 and the complementary shoulder 14 B may have other orientations with regard to the axial direction X.

The shoulder 12 C 1 may have two recesses 15 configured to receive an engaging element, described hereafter, for cooperating with the complementary shoulder 14 B in order to remove the writing tip 14 from the nose cone 12 C. The two recesses 15 may be diametrically opposed with regard to the axial direction X, and may be configured to receive two opposed projections of the engaging element for removing the writing tip 14 from the nose cone 12 C. Each recess 15 may have an open groove shape, for example in order to insert the engaging element in the direction in which the grooves extend, in the present example in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction X. In the present example, the recesses 15 may be seen as flats arranged on the nose cone 12 C and extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction X. The engaging element for removing the tip 14 may be distinct from the writing instrument 10 , or may be formed by a portion of the writing instrument 10 .

For example, the engaging element for removing the tip 14 may be formed by an engaging element portion 18 of the cap 16 .

The cap 16 may comprise a cap body 16 A and a clip portion 16 B. As seen in FIG. 2 , the engaging element portion 18 may be formed between the cap body 16 A and the clip portion 16 B. The engaging element portion 18 may comprise two opposite projections 18 A facing each other. For example the gap between the two opposite projections is equal or greater than the diameter of the portion 14 B. The projections 18 A may have a rib shape extending along the axial direction X, the projection 18 A of the clip portion 16 B extending radially toward the cap body 16 A while the projection 18 A of the cap body 16 A extends radially toward the clip portion 16 B. The projections 18 A may be hidden by the clip portion 16 B, when the cap 16 is viewed laterally. The engaging element portion 18 may comprise an insertion portion 18 B comprising chamfers 18 B 1 arranged in the projection 18 A, in order to assist the engagement of the engaging element with the recesses 15 .

A first modified example of the cap 16 ′, shown in FIG. 3 , may comprise an engaging element portion 18 ′ arranged in the clip portion 16 B′. The clip portion 16 B′ may have a lamella shape. The engaging element portion 18 ′ may be formed by molding or by a cutting/machining arranged in the lamella, thereby forming two opposite projections 18 A′ and an insertion portion 18 B′.

A second modified example of the cap 16 ″, shown in FIG. 4 , may be formed in the top end 16 A 1 ″ of the cap body 16 A″, opposite to the lower end 16 A 2 ″ configured to receive the tip 14 . The engaging element portion 18 ″ may be formed by molding or by a cutting/machining arranged in the lateral wall (i.e. wall parallel to the axial direction X), thereby forming two opposite projections 18 A″ and an insertion portion 18 B″.

Returning to FIG. 2 , the cap 16 may comprise a funnel portion 20 configured to feed a refill into the reservoir 13 when the tip 14 is removed.

For example, the top end 16 A 1 of the cap body 16 , which is opposite to the lower portion 16 A 2 of the cap body 16 A, which is configured to receive the tip 14 , may be hollow and form an inlet 20 A of the funnel portion 20 . The clip portion 16 B may be hollow and in fluid connection with the top end 16 A, the distal end 16 B 1 of the clip portion forming an outlet 20 B of the funnel portion 20 . For example, the outer diameter of the distal end 16 B 1 /outlet 20 B is lower than the diameter on the conduit 22 .

A method for refilling the refillable free ink writing instrument 10 is described in reference to FIGS. 5 A to 5 D .

For refilling the writing instrument 10 , the tip 14 has to be removed, for example with the help of the engaging element portion 18 , the reservoir 13 is refilled, for example with the help of the funnel portion 20 , and thereafter a replacement tip 50 is mounted instead of the tip 10 . In a variant, the reservoir 13 may be refilled but the tip 14 may be not replaced. In another variant, the reservoir 13 may be not refilled but the tip 14 may be replaced.

For removing the tip 14 , the engaging element portion 18 may be engaged with the recesses 15 . As shown in FIG. 5 A , the opposite projections 18 A are engaged in the respective opposite recesses 15 and cooperate with the complementary shoulder 14 B. Thereafter, the engaging element portion 18 B is pulled along the axial direction X in order to extract the tip 14 from the body 12 , as shown by the arrow in bold in FIG. 5 B .

When the tip 14 has been removed, the conduit 22 extending from the front end 12 B to the reservoir 13 is free. A refill may be inserted into the reservoir 13 via the conduit 22 . The outlet 20 B of the funnel portion 20 may be inserted into the conduit 22 and a refill 24 introduced into the reservoir 13 , as shown in FIG. 5 C . The ink may be water-based ink, and the refill 24 may comprise water only. This may help to keep the funnel portion 20 , and more generally the writing instrument 10 , clean when refilling.

Thereafter, the replacement tip 50 is mounted on the body 12 , a portion 50 A being inserted into the conduit 22 , as shown by the arrow in bold in FIG. 5 D . For example, the portion 50 is press fitted within the conduit 22 , as far as the complementary shoulder 50 B bears against the shoulder 12 C 1 . The replacement tip 50 may include concentered ink, which is mixed with a refill 24 of water, thereby providing a new dose of water based ink.

Although the present disclosure is described with reference to specific examples, it is to be understood that these examples are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present disclosure. In particular, individual characteristics of the various embodiments shown and/or mentioned may be combined in additional embodiments. Consequently, the description and the drawings should be considered in a sense that is illustrative rather than restrictive. For example, the caps 16 ′ and 16 ″ may be provided with a funnel portion configured to feed a refill into the reservoir 13 when the tip 14 is removed. For example, the cap 16 may be provided with an engaging element portion 18 ′ or an engaging element portion 18 ″ instead of or in addition to the engaging element portion 18 .

Additionally, all of the disclosed features of an apparatus may be transposed, alone or in combination, to a method and vice versa.

It is intended that the specification and the examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims.